Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 'Gravity' accompanying letter?

This is topic 'Gravity' accompanying letter? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001664

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-18-2013, 05:51 PM:

We received an accompanying letter for 'Gravity', translated to german, but the translation is somewhat bizarre. Does anyone have the english original for me? There are passages on sound level and screen brightness in it.

- Carsten

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 10-18-2013, 06:26 PM:

does it ask to set the sound processor to 7dB?

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-18-2013, 06:44 PM:

The german translation, among other silly things trying to translate 'footlambert', says to use 'Soundlevel 7.2 on all screens fitted with it'.

With it comes a short abstract of the letter, which recommends 14-17 cd/sqm for white screens and 24 cd/sqm for silver screens, and recommends the film should be played exclusively in 7.1 if sound systems permit, because that way the audience can experience the full range between silence and the breathtaking crescendo at the beginning of the film.

Well, our screen brightness for 2D will stay where it always is, we do have 7.1, and I think 'Gravity' should indeed be played well above our standard level setting of 5.5.

But I'm still wondering what the original letter said. He could indeed have written 'Dolby Level 7.2', why not, could be reasonable. But the other bullshit?

- Carsten

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 10-18-2013, 10:45 PM:

Carsten, you can access projectionist letter for Deluxe and Technicolor from the following two links. Neither require user credentials to access the letters.

Deluxe Digital Portal

Technicolor Digital Cinema Portal

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-19-2013, 04:13 AM:

The director's letter is not available on these two sites.

- Carsten

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-19-2013, 09:28 AM:

We didn't get such a letter with the DCP we got...although we are a couple of weeks off the break so it might have been left out of the box.

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 10-19-2013, 12:49 PM:

I got it, I read about a quarter of it before realizing it was the exact same "letter" "from" "the director" I'd gotten a hundred times before, and I deleted it.

Please respect me and my movie. Please play it in the best possible conditions. Please play it as loud as you're supposed to play it. Blah blah blah.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-19-2013, 08:53 PM:

Hey, Mr. Concerned Director, make your movie to comform to the universal specs set by the SMPTE and DCI and it will play just fine in all well-maintained theatres. If you are worried about subpar houses, and no question there are a bunch, then care enough about your film to insist your distributor not book it into those rat holes.

If you are worried your picture won't sound they way you want unless played above reference level, then you weren't worried about it enough to make sure it was authored properly at the level you want. It's not going to be tweak in theatres which no longer even have projectionsts. Best thing for you, Mr. Director, talk to your distributor, not some guy who opens up the hard drive. Fix it in post-production because it's not going to get fix in exhibition.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-19-2013, 11:57 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
care enough about your film to insist your distributor not book it into those rat holes.

I don't think even James Cameron would have that kind of clout...especially if the rat hole in question is profitable.

Posted by Jason Metcalfe (Member # 5739) on 10-20-2013, 02:10 PM:

We received this letter in our KDM delivery inbox:

quote:

Dear Cinema Managers and Projectionists:
As the director of GRAVITY, I am very pleased that our film is about to open at cinemas around the world. Approaching opening weekend, I want to thank you for your support and look forward to sharing the film with audiences in your theatres. We shot the movie using a number of innovative techniques to capture the experience of two astronauts stranded more than 100 miles above the Earth in the zero-gravity void of space.

When we began the process of making GRAVITY, we knew that showing the film in 3D would offer moviegoers the best visual experience possible. On behalf of the many brilliant people who brought
their talents to this film, I have been extremely gratified by the response of critics and early screening audiences who have said that we have made a visually stunning film, and I think that is due in no small part to viewing it with the optimum 3D presentation.

For that premium 3D experience, it is vitally important that cinemas show the film with the proper
brightness levels:

Real D – Between 5 to 7 foot lamberts
Dolby 3D –Between 4.5 to 6 foot lamberts
Xpand – Between 4.5 to 6 foot lamberts

With the proper light levels, we believe moviegoers will experience the film as it was meant to be seen. We also recommend a sound level of 7.2 in all screens that are equipped and capable. As a filmmaker, I am truly grateful to have so many state-of-the-art theatres available to play my films.
With GRAVITY, we worked hard to deliver a thrilling film with excellent visual effects, and believe that a great 3D presentation will significantly enhance your patrons’ appreciation of the film. I would like to thank you in advance for providing all the on-screen brightness you can for GRAVITY and again express my appreciation for all your support.

All the best,
Alfonso Cuaron

The only other letter we received was a breakdown of the content included on the different hard drives that were sent out. Hope this helps.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 10-28-2013, 04:41 PM:

How many people are going to have a clue as to how to check the foot-lambert levels, or anything else besides turning up the volume?

There's nobody in the booth anymore!!

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 10-30-2013, 03:56 AM:

You'd think, at some point, a movie would need to be called something other than a "film".

On the other hand, we still dial a telephone.

"So our film is presented as intended by the director, please ensure that your xenon bulb properly strikes at the beginning of the presentation. Thank you."

[Roll Eyes]

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-30-2013, 06:38 AM:

In a car, we still "pull up" to an ATM and such, though a horse never pulled up to an ATM. A lot of phrases stick and just become the normal expression long after their literal meaning has left.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 10-30-2013, 11:34 AM:

How can I dial my phone when it does not have a dial?

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 10-30-2013, 11:50 AM:

Now you're just being a broken record [Wink]

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 10-30-2013, 09:44 PM:

Who is supposed to read & interpret that letter?
What it suggests is beyond comprehnsion to most 'booth people' these days.
In fact- - I know of several theaters where the minimum wage booth staff
(of possibly questionable immigration status) speaks little, if any, English and
definitely can't read it at all. So a letter written in English would be Greek to them.

I was recently called to such a theater to do an emergency re-build of a print.
The two (35mm) film boxes delivered to the theater were actually from prints
of two different titles. The booth Bozos made up the show with reels 1-2-3
from one movie, and reels 4-5-6 from another. It went on screen like that
because there was NOBODY in the booth who could read the leaders. D'oh!

[and yes- I charged them a crapload for the late nite emergency call to fix this!]